Sunday, May 08, 2011

The more I read our national press the more it becomes apparent that British journalists are like semi intelligent pack animals trained by their masters to produce stories within a narrow band of political ideology.

Admittedly journalists are cleaner than animals as their crap ends up in print or broadcast, but they are nothing if not relentless in attacking Lib Dems, which continues unabated, with Clegg hammered daily, the Observer had Ed Milliband, asking once again for Libs to defect not for the first time.

Saturday the paper's were bitching about, AV and how this was another blow to Nick Clegg, failing to mention this was also an issue for which Ed Milliband who also campaigned.

I wouldn't say I've actually been approached by other parties, but just why would anyone ditch their party, in the same way, Mrs Me is a keen Chelsea supporter, for many years and even though this year has been a wash out, I understand (I don't do football) there would be no way she'd ever switch her support.

Labour nationally and locally have failed to make any truly significant inroads, yes they gained a few seats but even here in on the Isle of Thanet, despite social deprivation, a bleak outlook, they couldn't win, even after herds of Labour top knobs & dib dobs, had flooded the area.

Maybe controversy surrounding Thanet Labour's recent abandonment of social housing, arguing against job creating investment or indeed that rather unpleasant mess surrounding Northwood Ward which I suspect is not yet over, in fact I could well envisage a situation in which Labour's leader will need some considerable help to hold on to the leadership.

Locally we are in for some interesting times, nationally and for us Lib Dems, we have hit the bottom, and things will improve, speaking for myself, I think Nick Clegg has acted for the best interests of both the country and party, like dogs, eventually the press will move on, perhaps to chew on Labour's poor leadership.

Finally on Milliband's current and previous invitations for Lib Dem's to join Labour, no thanks, Labour had a great past but is now run by professional classes, which seems to exists only to serve the public sector having long abandoned ordinary people.

I was shocked the Observer could run with that taunt as its headline. And then the BBC news (not news 24 but the main news programs that most people see) only gave Clegg a short snippet to defend himself after such a momentous defeat, and then proceeded to 'balance' it with Miliband's taunt.

And all the time I'm thinking, didn't our brave action to form a coalition, save the economy? Are we not making real progress on social mobility, equality and civil liberties? Why the inverse credit?

The press pander to their readership so don't expect the Guardian to be too harsh on Milliband or the Mail to applaud the advocates of AV. Not within the nature of the beast.

Whilst understanding your comparison with football supporters I would suggest there is a difference. I grew up in a Labour household and as a Charlton FC fan.

Once I realised what a disaster for this country Labour governments are, I switched my political allegiance. On the other hand I still support Charlton even if I do stick pins in a voodoo doll of Alan Pardew to release my frustrations at their current lowly status.

On the Lib/Dems, I applauded their decision to put the good of the country first and get on with the business of government. I think their press would be better if a few individuals in the party would shut up and do just that.

Tony I have noticed the press and TV reporters are not only with the election/AV but with all news worthy interviews and articles aree like you describe. I find it childish and wonder if it is due to the level of education of these so called reporters. I often turn the TV over when an interviewer wont give up with some stupid point he would like a different answer to, so I assume the interviewer can score some point that he thinks is important. I dont take a newspaper so I am not in a position to make a reasoned comment but I expect it is much the same with print as it is with TV.

My view of the results of the local elections is that labour did far better than they deserve unfortunatly Lib Dems nationally are paying the price for the end of the so called honeymoon period. People dislike the cuts and the lib dems have paid the price at the polls for this unseen but very real feeling of betrayal by all concerned . Labour got us into this mess over the period of the Blair /Brown and the Tories needed the Lib Dems to get us out of it and now they are paying the price of being between a rock and a hard place.

You are being bit naive Tony, most of the press are pro tory and there nothing more they would like than the coalition to fall apart and an election to follow. At the moment following the results last week, the tories would stand a good chance and the libdems would be left with less than 20 MPs.I also dont understand why you complain that labour HQ helped the local party in the local elections, thats what political parties do. I hope that the Libdems HQ also supported its candidates in Thanet and if not it was a poor show by them. Maybe they have a lesson to learn and you need to lobby them.

You must ask yourself Tony why local Labour candidates received help from the party HQ and your party did not help you? I thought thats what parties did in an election, they target and help those that stand a chance and let the dead in the water sink.

The tory press will try their best to end the coalition as they sense that the tories could at the moment win a general election by themselves and libdems will be reduced from a bus load of MP's to a minibus full and calamity Clegg as his own colleagues call him wont be on the bus.

I find it intteresting as the Labour party have no defence againt the Tory policy and would be in a similar position had they got into power. So they cant attack and are not strong enough to attack the coalition so the are doing the only thing they can with the current weak leadership divide and destroy. and the press are helping them in their cause. ED Milliband is not capable of leading an attack on a wet paper bag and will be voted out before the next general election, Ed Balls will stab him in the back due to his lack of policy the poor old Lib Dems have become a whipping boy for Ed Millibands lack of setting up a decent opposition and having a positive policy, oh and the fact our news reporters are being fooled into thinking what the publish is news.

Interesting suggestions that the pro Tory press would like to see the coalition collapse. Try thinking it through.

At the moment, based on the local elections results on a modest turn out, the Conservatives might, and it is a big might, just secure a majority. More likely is that both Labour and Tories would gain seats at the expense of the Liberals with the possibilty that the balance of power in the Commons would be even tighter than at present.

Far better for both coalition partners to keep going with the prospect of better times round the corner. Who knows, the Scots might get independence and then Labour can stick their heads between their legs and kiss their rear ends goodbye for all time.

Robert, that may appeal to you with your obvious loathing of Labour - very reminiscent of the views of Bluenote and Bill Richards as articulated on these here blogs - but it would not be to everyone's liking. The problem with the Tories is that they have an arrogant belief that they are in some way born to govern, and that governing is their right. It comes across even from those in the Party whose personal heritage is not the landed gentry.

02:14 You are right in your assumption that I have no time for Labour, but that does not mean I am a dyed in the wool Tory. If you read my comment I said, get back to Whigs and Tories.

However, since you raise the point, and a quick look at the electoral map of England will show you it is predominantly Conservative, there could always be a clause in Scottish Indepedence on right to choose side of the border. Under such clause people like you and your ilk could all go and live in a socialist Scotland.

07:33 See you are off on your own interpretation of other peoples' comments. I repeat, I said Whigs and Tories. I could be either and I support parliamentary debate and an active opposition. I just find Labour a total turn off.

My comment on offering Labour folk the alternative of living in Scotland was in response to yours about a country not having much prospect of a Labour government being not of some peoples choosing.What could be more democratic than choice.

Bob, Anon is only winding you up so ignore him. He regards anyone who is not Labour as a Tory and is selective on what element of a comment he responds to in his utterings. You can never win with people like that so treat it with the contempt it deserves.

If only that were official Tory policy. What a utopia such a country devoid of the Balls and Crows, not to mention the hypocritical Harmans, would be.Perhaps that is the heaven that Stephen Hawkins does not think exists.

Not for much longer. History shows that democracies are doomed to fail and fail they always do.

The problem with democracy is that political power always ends up in the hands of the corrupt few, while the people get lazy and dependent. And as that pus filled boil comes to a head we begin to see the madness that is manifesting itself now in our present "democracy".

Next comes tyranny (fascism) followed by revolution and liberty (constitutional republic).

And in the constitutional republic, power becomes invested in the president and his/her handful of cronies, the few in other words, and democracy goes out the window until........the next revolution.You said it 8:10, democracies fail in the same way that revolutions do not deliver freedom.

I see, Tony, that one of our Red friends has just posted a link to his blogspot on your site. Bit of a cheek really, but I suppose there would be no point in putting it on any of the Labour sites as nobody, apart from Clive, reads them.

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